It’s an old wives’ tale that female dogs must have a litter of puppies to develop and mature properly. Bulldogs who are spayed will develop to the full extent of their genetic heritage. In addition, raising English Bulldogs is not for the faint of heart. Bulldogs, because of their large head, are rarely able to give birth naturally. Cesarean sections are the rule, not the exception, and as with any major surgery, this carries some risk. Many a English Bulldog breeder has had to hand-raise a litter of puppies because the mother dog either did not survive the surgery or refused to care for her puppies after the surgery. Some research scientists believe the trauma of the heat cycle is almost as great as pregnancy and puppies. In this case, it is only fair that your female be relieved of this biannual bodily function by being spayed as early as possible. Most veterinarians advise spaying before the first heat period. Discuss the options with your vet as soon as possible. There is some risk in spaying, but the risk is minimal when compared to the risks involved with pregnancy and birth, as well as the risks of cancer, pyometra, and unwanted pregnancy in an unspayed female. Male dogs can be neutered at any point after about 4 months of age although many shelters are doing it as early as 8 to 10 weeks of age. Talk to your veterinarian and ask about the best time to neuter your male English Bulldog. Neutered males are less likely to provoke fights with other males, are less likely to look for ways out of the yard to go find a female, and develop fewer bad habits that are caused by hormones. In addition, testicular cancer and other diseases of the reproductive system are prevented when you have your dog neutered.